The present invention relates generally to toy vehicles and, more particularly, to a magnetic coupler for joining a first toy vehicle to a second toy vehicle.
In the toy vehicle industry, small toy trains are often run on plastic or wooden tracks. These railway systems are designed to grow with the child. In other words, railway configurations can range from very simple ovals to complex systems incorporating bridges, buildings, tunnels, and towns. Many other accessories are available as well such as: toy figurines, bushes, shrubs, and trees to lend the system a realistic effect; playmats, playboards, and play tables on which to build a railway system; carry bags and boxes in which to store the railway system when not in use; and, storybooks, iron-ons, decals, and coloring books to further stimulate the child""s imagination.
The railway configurations are built from individual track sections. The track sections range in size and shape. There are countless possibilities for individual track sections: some are straight; some feature switching mechanisms; some are curved; and, some are ascending for connection to another track positioned at a higher level.
One of the most important aspects of these railway systems is that the track sections be interchangeable. Accordingly, most track sections include male and/or female connectors at opposing ends. This allows the track sections to be connected end to end in a variety of configurations.
Normally, the toy vehicles in the railway system are connected by magnetic couplers. These magnetic couplers generally include a disk-shaped magnet which is mounted substantially parallel to an end wall of the toy vehicle chassis and joined to a rounded metallic connector. A first pole is substantially adjacent and perpendicular to the end wall of the toy vehicle. The second pole is opposite the first pole. The rounded metallic connector of one vehicle is joined to a rounded metallic connector of a second vehicle through the strength of the disk-shaped magnets. This arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,310 issued to xc3x96sthall and U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,561 issued to Eichorn et al.
One of the problems that exists with the couplers described in xc3x96sthall and Eichorn et al. is their inability to hold the connection when the toy vehicles are climbing ascending track segments or traveling on curved track segments. The magnetic couplers of xc3x96sthall and Eichorn et al. have a tendency to separate from each other due to the increased stress on the connections which results from these situations. Another problem is that two toy vehicles can be connected in a single orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,066 issued to Crawford and U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,202 issued to Sander describe magnetic couplers that are movably mounted to the toy vehicles. These magnetic couplers are undesirable because they can scratch the outer surfaces of the toy vehicles. Also, after continued use, these movably mounted couplers may fail, and replacements are difficult or impossible to retrofit within the toy vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,704 issued to Takahashi discloses a revolving magnet. The magnet of Takahashi has positive and negative poles that are oriented similar to discloses a magnet having poles oriented similarly to xc3x96sthall and Eichorn et al. Takahashi further discloses a magnetic coupler having a magnet that is capable of rotating about a central axis.
Therefore, an improved magnetic coupler for joining one or more toy vehicles together is needed.
The present invention provides a novel magnetic coupler for joining a first toy vehicle to a second toy vehicle. A magnetic coupler includes a first connector and a disk-shaped magnet for joining the first toy vehicle to the second toy vehicle.
The first connector has a substantially frustoconical shape. The first connector extends from an end wall of the first toy vehicle. The frustoconical connector also has an aperture for receiving a fastening element. The aperture is countersunk so that the head of the fastening element is flush with the frustoconical connector. The fastening element is used to mount the disk-shaped magnet on the frustoconical connector.
The disk-shaped magnet also has a fastener opening for receiving the fastener. The disk-shaped magnet is oriented so that is perpendicular to the end wall of the first vehicle.
Other advantages and aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.